Toothbrush and casing therefor



March 6, 1951 B. w. Boo'rHRoYn 2,544,130

TOOTHBRUSH AND CASING THEREF'OR Filed Aug. 6, 1947 1N V EN TOR.

Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTHBRUSH AND CASING THEREFOR Barbara W. Boothroyd,Los Angeles, Calif.

Applicatixn August 6, 1947, Serial No. 166,841

This invention relates to a toothbrush and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide an article of this kind which can be readily and conveniently carried in a hand bag or the like.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of this kind which can be readily compacted when desired to occupy a minimum of space to permit the same to be carried in a hand bag, pocket, or other place of relatively limited capacity.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which can be easily compacted and in a manner whereby the head of the brush will be entirely housed so that after use the device may be placed Within a hand bag, pocket, or the like without injury to the other contents or to the bag, pocket, or the like into which the device is placed.

A still further and a particular object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush which, when not in use, may be so adjusted to assure its maintenance in a highly sanitary condition.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of the several parts to be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference will be made to the accom-l panying drawing wherein similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a toothbrush assembly constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2, of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3, of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; E

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the brush assembly fully retracted and with the cap in closed position.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of the lower portion of the front end of the casing with the brush retracted into the casing.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 1 -1 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, C denotes a cylindrical casing of desired dimensions and 4 Claims. (ci. 15-1s4) open at opposite ends and preferably of a plastic material possessing requisite strength. This casing C closely adjacent to its rear end is provided with an inwardly pressed bead I, extending entirely circumferentially therearound and in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the casing C.

The forward extremity of the casing C, at a predetermined point inwardly of the -outer end thereof, is partitioned by a plate 2, provided approiiimately Yat its center with an opening 3, angular in contour and in accordance with the cross sectional formation of the handle 4 of the brush member B. It is important that the handle 4 have at least one relatively flat face so that the plate 2 Will effectually hold the brush member against rotation independently of the casing C. The plate 2 is positioned inwardly of the adjacent or outer end of the casing C a distance sufficient to permit the head 5 of the brush member B being entirely housed within the casing C, when the brush element B is at substantially the limit of its movement inwardly of the casing C.

The outer end of the casing C has associated therewith a closure cap or plate 6, hingedly connected, as at 1, withthe wall of the casing C.

` The hinge connection 1 is of any preferred spring type so that, as the member'B is fully retracted within the casing C, the cap or plate 6 will automatically close the open end of the casing C, and thus protect the brush head 5 against foreign partices and thereby maintain the head 5 in a highly sanitary condition when the article is compacted.

Extendingwithin the casing C, rearwardly of the plate 2, is a sleeve 8, also preferably of plastic. This sleeve 8 is of a length to extend substantially from the plate 2 to a desired distance .outwardly beyond the casing C. The extended portion of the sleeve 8 constitutes an operating head 9, the peripheral surface of which is knurled or otherwise roughened to facilitate rotation of the sleeve 8 within the casing.

The sleeve 8, adjacent to the head 9, has a surrounding peripheral groove It! which snugly receives the bead I of the casing C, whereby the casing C and the sleeve 8 are held one to the other against independent endwise movement but free for rotation one independently of the-other.

The sleeve 8 from one end to the other is provided therealong with internal spiral groove ll of predetermined pitch and in which are received the :outer extremities of the lateral arms I2, oarried by the handle 4 of the brush member B, inwardly of the plate 2. This connection between the handle 4 of the brush member B and the sleeve 8, allows for the extending or retracting of the brush member B upon required relative rotation between the casing C and the housing 8.

The outer end portion of the casing C, at a point closely adjacent to the outer open end, carries a transversely disposed plate I3, positioned across the back of the brush member B, or across the side of the handle 4 remote from the abra-.

sure imposed upon the handle during use of thei device and thereby prevent displacement whichv would destroy the eiciency ofthe article.v

The sleeve 8 is of a major dlam'eterfth-rough-t out its length slightly less than the internal diameter of the casing C, and th'casing'Cj closely adjacent to the inner end of the sleeve18 fis-.pro-

vided circumferentially therearound with an inwardly disposed-beadwor-rib' I4 w-hichcontacts with the-.periphery -ofthefsleeve 8.,- By.this .assembly,- relativel rotation-between -the casing?, C land the sleeve 8 is h'adwvith` the` substantial elimination of frictional resistancaf.

Ieclaimv: v

1.` An article of the class set fortlrcomprising a longfcasinghaving an openend, anplate disposed transversely within f. and l partitioning. the .l casi-nginwardly oflthe open end rthereof'; ar-sleeve freely extending-:into .the casing through the` end ,thereof vopposite said open end,- isaid sleeve having a thread groove in the inneren-Mace thereof, means connecting the casing and sleeve for relative rotaryr movement `but* holdingfthe. same against relative endwise movement; a brush member includingan elongatedy handleand a head,` the plate havingY an opening; through. which the-handle slides, ythe plate-being-,positioned.inwardly of the adjacent open end f of: thev casingf` a Y distancei'sufcientto allow the head ofthe. brushelement-to be entirelyf housed A within the casing upon i endwise movement of the. handle-'inwardlyY of` the casingyandy a member carried'upon the inner end` ofl saidA` handle andengaging.. said thread groove, rvby, which, upon-relative rotation ofthe casing and sleeve,l the brush member will be moved outwardly or inwardly-of the casing.

2. An article'as set-:forth inAclaimil; with-.a closure/membery pivoted tothe open.: end ofthe casing for movementinto vand outv of closing position`over-` said open'end, and spring-means normallyurging swinging of Y the closurefmember. to

closeds position;V thevr brushe being: positioned: tov

engage the closure member;` atlA a f point,- te.E force the closure member open: upon.- outward. movement of: the brush:

3. An article as set forth in claim 1, with a closure member for the open end of the casing, means pivotally mountingr the closure member on the casing for movement into open or closed position, and -means for urging the closure member to move into closed position as the brush member is retracted into the casing.

4. An article of the class set forth, comprising afr-longecylindrioal casing-havingy an open end, a plate i'forming a partitioningwall across the interior of the casing at a substantial distance inwardly from the said open end providing a chamber,.a cover member pivotally connected with the casing at said-"open end and adapted to move -,.intocoveringfposition over said open end, means normally urging such movement of the cover m'emb'er, sai'dfpartitioning plate having a central opening--t therethrough, a relatively long sleeve extending into the casing from the end opposite said open.end, .the sleeve having its inner end in clo'seproxi'mity to said "partitioning plate, the opposite 'end'of the sleeve being enlarged toform a head'which is'disposed at'thesaid otherv end-V of the' casing, thesleeve having an encircling groove in `its outer surface adjacent to said head, the casing ,havingi'an inside rib adjacent `'tov saidI head;andengaginginsaid groove, the said rib and groove lmair'itainingthe sleeve lagainstlongitudin'al movement but" permitting its rotational movement in the casing, said sleeve havingany interior screw'groove' therein, a brush member adapted"to;position in said chamber and having along.; handle extending through the opening 4of said partitioning. plate and into the sleeve, and across head upon the end ofthehandle within th'etsleeve engagedV at'itsv ends in said groove to follow the'groove uponthe rotation of the sleeve to.e1Tect the inward and'outward movementv of the.brushwith'respect'to said chamber, the brush in said outward movement engaging' the cover member`- andi forcing it open against the said means normally, urging the cover. member. to closed position..

BARBARA- W. BOOTHRGYD:

REFERENCES CITED` Th'elfollowing: references are of f record'- in'- the le'- of." thisCv patent: f

UNITED STATES` PATENS'IST Number Name Date 40,846" Bounds' Dec. 8;1863 380,080 Bouton Mar. 27,' 1888 2,025,591 Folsom-Jones Dec. 24;,1934 

